snowdome’s unique approach

International evidence shows patients have better outcomes on a clinical trial. Unfortunately, unless the trials are initiated in Australia, our small population relative to say, the US or Europe, means Australian patients are rarely included in trials.

As a strategy-focused organisation, Snowdome is targeting a real need not currently being addressed effectively: To bring next-generation, improved treatments to Australian patients faster.

Strategic grants: The Snowdome Foundation seeks opportunities to ‘enable’ clinical trials to commence. We work with world leading Australian researchers to prioritise key research opportunities across a consortium of hospitals such as the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Alfred Hospital and Royal Melbourne Hospital, Austin Hospital, St Vincent’s Hospital and Cabrini Hospital. These hospitals work together on trials across all age groups under a consortium called the Victorian Epigenetics Group (VEG) and include patients from other states in Australia. To date, we have focused on Epigenetic blood cancer research.

Once the key funding opportunities are identified and prioritised, we then work to fund these strategic, multi-year research opportunities. So far, the Snowdome Foundation has achieved success in funding critical human infrastructure over multiple years to deliver clinical trials and ensure they can run to completion. This ensures patients receive the full benefit of being on a clinical trial.

Strategic fundraising: The Snowdome Foundation has developed a flexible approach to direct significant funds into prioritised research opportunities. The Snowdome Foundation, a DGR Type 2 organisation, can manage the flow of funds in one of three ways:

1) Donations directly to Snowdome Foundation (Donor funding);

2) Donations from DGR Type 2 organisations to a quarantined cost centre within a DGR Type 1 organisation. Snowdome is able to direct this funding to Snowdome supported research opportunities via a Memorandum of Understanding (Donor funding); or